Trocar.



D. H. FETZER.

TROCAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. 1916.

1 ,21 5,5 1 2 Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

WITNESS, IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TROCAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

Application filed January 4, 1916. Serial No. 70,323.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, DAVID H. Fn'rznn, a citizen of the United States,and residing in Dormont Borough, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Im; provementsin Trocars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in trocars orinstruments used by embalmers for aspirating the liquids and ases from adead body and injecting in their place an embalming fluid.

The object I have in view is the production of a trocar which may beconnected up with. the necessary bottle to receive the liquids and gasesfrom the body and with a second bottle containing the embalming fluid tobe substituted therefor, and may then be introduced into cavity orportion of the body and be used for both aspiration and injectionwithout requiring the removal of the trocar from its place ofintroduction into the body.

For the accomplishment of this purpose, I provide a trocar whichcomprises a metal tube whose one end is provided with a removable sharpinserting point and whose other end is bifurcated to provide twobranches which are connected, respectively, to a receiving bottle forthe body liquids and gases and a second bottle containing a supply ofembalming fluid to be injected into the body. A two-way valve is locatedat the juncture of the two branches with the body of the trocar so thateither branch may be connected with the main bore of the trocar or bothof said branches may be cut off from said bore and from each other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in plan my improved trocarconnected up with the receiving bottle and the em balming fluid bottle,ready for service; Fig. 2 is a broken horizontal section of the trocar,on enlarged scale, taken along the line II II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is asection of the trocar taken along the line HIIII in Fig. 2 illustratingthe trocar connected to the embalming fluid bottle for the injecting operation; Fig. i is a similar view illustrating the trocar connected tothe receiving bottle for the aspirating operation, and Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the trocar cut off from both the receiving andembalming fluid bot ties and said bottles cut of]? from each other.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings.

A is the trocar proper, comprising a metal tube having a sharpened endpiece 1 attached thereto by threaded engagement, so that when said endpiece becomes dull a fresh one may be substituted. The bore 2 of thetrocar extends rearwardly and connects with a cylindrical, preferablytapered, valve seat 3 from which lead the two branch tubes 4 and 5. (3is a valve plug adapted to rotate in seat 3 and provided with atransverse valve port 7 of substantially the contour shown, which, whenthe valve plug is turned to the proper position, may either connect thebore 2 of the trocar with the branch l, as shown in Fig. 4-; or connectsaid bore with the branch 5 as shown in Fig. 4;; or may completely sealsaid bore and said branches from each other, as shown in Fig.

The branch 4t is connected by a rubber tube 8 with a suction pump 9which is in turn connected by a rubber tube 10 with a receiving bottleB. while a rubber tube 11 connects the branch 5 with a bottle C whichholds a supply of embalming fluid. 12 is a forcing bulb introduced inthe tube 11 to withdraw the contents of the bottle C and inject the samethrough the trocar into the dead body.

By preference, as shown in the drawing, the aspirating branch at is astraight con tinuance or extension of the trocar-bore 2. Thisconstruction I have found by experiment to be important; for a tortuouspassage for the withdrawal of the fluid and. semi-fluid contents of thebody, mixed. with lumps of solids, is decidedly objectionable, sincedeposits collect in the bends of such a tortuous passage, interferingwith a free and unobstructed passage therethrough, with the consequencethat such passage has not only to be cleaned frequently, but is dihicullto clean.

A. marked and salient advantage is gained 1 semi-solid matter withdrawnfrom the body, and which cannot be dislodged by the pressure of theembalming fluid in the injecting operation, so that the tro-ear must bedisconnected from the body to allow a cleaning wire or ram-rod to be runtherethrough to open up the passage. This grave disadvantage and defectare obviated in my invention by the use of a single two-way valvedisposed at the junction of the two branches 1%. and 5 with the bore 2oi? the trocar.

Additionally, the use of two valves, one in each branch 4L and 5, wouldbe objectionable, as more manual operations are required in the use ofsuch a device, as each valve has to be manipulated. With my device,there is but a single valve to manipulate, thus not only simplifying thestructure and the cost oi. production thereof, but, also, reducing thenumber of manual acts required by the op erator in the use thereof.

The method of using my improved trocar is as follows.

The sharpened end piece 1 is inserted into a cavity or other portion ofthe dead body and the valve 6 is turned into the position shown in Fig.i. The suction pump is now operated to withdraw or aspirate the liq uidsand gases from the body into the bottle B. The valve 6 is then turnedinto the position shown in Fig. 3 and by means of the bulb 12 theembalming fluid from the bottle C is injected into the body. The valve 6is then turned into the position shown in Fig. 5 and the trocar removedfrom the body.

The use of my improved trocar is attended by numerous advantages. l Vhenusing the ordinary trocar two insertions of the same into the body arerequired. After the first insertion and the aspirating operation, thetrocar is withdrawn and disconnected from the receiving bottle. Thee1nbalming fluid bottle is next connected to the trocar and the latteragain inserted into the body. It is, of course, highly desirable thatthe embalmlng fiuld be introduced at 'the same point at which the bodyliquids and gases are withdrawn, and this is diiiicult where twoinsertions are required.

VJ hen my improved trocar is used but one insertion is necessary, andthe time now consumed and the trouble incurred in withdrawing andreinserting the trocar and in disconnecting it from the receiving bottle and connecting it with the embalming fluid bottle are saved.

llotwithstanding, the additional advan tages of my trocar, the same isof simple and inexpensive construction and the extra weight is so slightas to be negligible. The instrument takes up no more room in theembalmefis satchel than the trocar now in general use.

All the connections are made directly to the trocar, requiring noadditional rubber tubing nor the introduction into the tubes of numerousvalves or fittings.

What I desire to claim is:

A trocar comprising a straight tubular body, one end of which is formedfor engagementwith a removable puncturing endpiece, and the other end ofwhich is bifurcated to provide two branches, the bore ol one of saidbranches forming a straight extension of the bore of said body, and arotatable twoway valve at the junction of said branches with said body,and having a diametric port therethrough, the valve being rotatable tobring said port in alinement with the bore of said body and with thebore of said extension, providing an unobstructed passage through saidbody, extension, and valve, whereby a straight cleaning-rod may beprojected therethrough.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Penna, this 31st day of December, 1915.

DAVID H. FETZER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

